I often wonder what makes a strong candidate for an Analytics role? I know what has gotten me excited during presentations… it is the ability of an individual to narrate a story. One of my favorite presentations is the NPD eating trends by Harry Balzer. Harry does a fascinating job when it comes to narrating the story and connecting the data and insights.
The chasm between reality and analytic insights has often made me uncomfortable. How much of the insight are truly data and the social, anthropological elements contributing to “SPIN”?
Certainly a business driven by analytics is build on a sound base! The easiest way to cross the chasm is to try a little, test a little, try some more and test some more until you are ready to go all the way. A culture of analytics without the a culture of risk taking is like going to a fine dining restaurant with a severe hangover.
